For expectant mother 

Signs of an ingrown toenail on a large nail. Laser application and radio wave therapy. When to seek medical attention

Ingrown toenails (most often on the big toes) cause a lot of problems. After all, this is not only very unattractive and unhygienic, but also causes severe pain and discomfort. Therefore, you need to get rid of the problem as soon as possible, since delaying treatment can cause more serious consequences in the form of severe inflammation and suppuration. To do this quickly and efficiently, first you need to carefully understand the causes of the phenomenon.

Why toenails grow in - we analyze the reasons

Most often, the process is affected by the thumbs, but in general it can happen on any other, both on the legs and on the hands. The reasons are as follows:

  1. Wrong and poor quality pedicure. Not all people know that when trimming toenails, in no case should they be very round and the sides should be cut very deeply. Of course, such a pedicure looks aesthetically pleasing and attractive, but often leads to ingrowth of the nail plate into the skin. Therefore, it is better to leave a square shape when cutting, and instead of cutting it is recommended to carefully file the edges with a nail file.
  2. This reason especially often affects women. After all, from time to time, shoes with narrow toes again come into fashion, the wearing of which strongly squeezes the fingers. The nail, as a result of constant pressure from the side, digs into the skin. The longer you wear such "beauty", the deeper and more painful this wound will become, and it will be more difficult to cure it. Comfortable high-quality shoes in size will help to avoid the problem. Before purchasing it, you must carefully measure each shoe and try to walk through the store in them. It is better to make a purchase in the morning if you do not have a tendency to swelling.

  3. A special shape of the nail. This problem is inherited. In this case, the correct pedicure and some folk remedies will help. By the way, flat feet can also be attributed here.
  4. A sharp increase in weight. Often this happens in girls who are in a position, or as a result of any diseases. After weight loss occurs, a person immediately forgets about the hassle with nails.
  5. Various injuries to the legs, resulting in a change in the shape of the nail plate.
  6. Fungal diseases of feet and nails. In this case, the latter curl or thicken.

Treatment with folk remedies

An ingrown toenail can be treated surgically by seeking help from the doctors of the appropriate clinic, or you can try to get by with the treatment at home. The latter option is relevant if the inflammation has not yet gone far, and the pain is not clearly expressed.

  • Of course, for a start, you will need to change all problematic shoes for more comfortable and wider ones. No narrow capes or inappropriate sizes. This will immediately reduce. If there is such an opportunity, then it is better to completely abandon wearing shoes for a while or choose one where your toes are completely open.

  • It is very important to stop trimming your nails short as this will only exacerbate the painful ingrowth. It is best to cut the nail plate in exactly one line with sharp scissors. By the way, they should also be straight, not rounded. In this case, the minimum length of the nails should reach the top of the thumb. All sharp edges should be carefully filed away so that they do not injure or irritate the skin.
  • In addition, special ones will help. They will relieve pain, reduce swelling and stop inflammation. The procedure must be repeated once a day regularly. For example, in the evening after a hard day, when you can finally take off your shoes.
    A handful of coarse salt is poured into a bowl of warm water. Both sea and food are suitable. Warm salt water will soften the nails and skin in the damaged area. For prophylaxis and as a disinfectant, it is also recommended to add potassium permanganate or furacilin to the finished bath. After the procedure, when the skin has already steamed enough, a piece of cotton wool can be gently placed under the sharp edge of the nail, which presses on the wound. This will raise the edge and reduce pain. Baths with the addition of various dry herbs, such as St. John's wort or chamomile, are very effective.

  • Aloe also helps in this case. You need to carefully cut off a piece of a leaf without a skin and bandage it overnight to the injured finger. In the morning, the dressing should be changed, cutting off the regrown fragment of the nail if it starts to dig into the damaged skin again.
  • Another effective "night" recipe. For treatment, you should take a condom, fill it with warm softened butter and put it on the sore finger. The pain will subside very soon. At this point, it is also necessary to raise the edge of the ingrown nail and slip a piece of gauze under it, and bandage the finger tightly on top. Already in the morning, noticeable relief will be felt.
  • You can also try to trick your body. To do this, you need to use a file to make a small hole in the center of the diseased nail at its very edge. As a result, the sawn-off part will begin to compact, and not the side ones.

Home treatment video

Inflammation and suppuration

If you do not start treatment at the time, then inflammation and even suppuration may occur at the site of the ingrowth of the nail into the skin. In this case, it is best to seek advice and help from an experienced specialist. Before going to the doctor, you should regularly flush the wound with hydrogen peroxide, which will disinfect it.

And also it is worth preparing a special medicine from available tools. To do this, you need black bread and natural bee honey. These products must be mixed in equal proportions, and then applied to the wound under a bandage. This medicine helps to draw out pus from the wound and relieve inflammation as quickly as possible.

Video from the program "Living Healthy": how to get rid of the problem of an ingrown toenail

How is an ingrown toenail treated? The problem is not uncommon, you don't want to fall under the surgeon's knife.

If the stage of the disease is not neglected, then traditional medicine will help in the treatment of an ingrown toenail.

With their help, you can carry out disinfecting baths. Applying aloe leaf will help draw out pus from the wound and promote skin cell regeneration.

The main thing is to start treatment on time so that inflammation does not penetrate into the bone tissue and osteomyelitis does not start.

Ingrown toenail: symptoms of the disease

There are many people in whom the nail plate on the toes grows into the surrounding soft tissue. Most often, this phenomenon is observed from the upper-outer side of the thumb and is called onychocryptosis.

Walking becomes very painful. If you do not pay attention, then after a while inflammation, edema, suppuration join. If you do not help yourself in time, panaritium will develop - a purulent inflammation of everything around the nail space. Here, one cannot do without the help of a surgeon. And in extreme cases, bone tissue is affected and osteomyelitis occurs.

Reasons for the formation of an ingrown toenail

1. It's all about the modern fashion for model shoes. Women love to wear high-heeled pumps. And men often wear shoes with narrow noses. And if you also have a wide foot, then putting pressure on your toes will be scary!

By the way, my neighbor, Katerina, is just a big fan of flaunting in heels. Complains that in the evening he just does not feel the toes. When the shoes are undressed, the legs swell and hurt. This is how the big toe began to become inflamed.

2. Many people do not cut their toenails correctly. Cut very short and cut the edges of the nail. When it begins to grow back, the sharp edge cuts into the flesh of the finger.

And it is necessary to cut the nail, leaving 2 mm plates and remove the regrown nail with straight scissors along a horizontal line so that small edges remain. File them carefully with a nail file so that they are not sharp. Then the nail will not cut into the pulp.

3. Nail fungus thickens, deforms the nail plate. Nails crumble, lose their shape. They often grow incorrectly afterwards and can also grow into the skin.

4. Injuries: a toe nail is pinched, a heavy object falls on the foot, fractures, dislocations - all this can also subsequently lead to deformation and improper growth of nails.

5. Many diseases of the feet, for example, overgrown bones on the foot, valgus or varus placement of the feet - all this can directly cause the nail to grow into the flesh of the toe and bring considerable torment.

6. In old people, due to diabetes, vascular diseases of the feet, feet and toes are deformed and sometimes nails grow incorrectly. This can also be accompanied by the appearance of pain due to ingrowth of nails into soft tissues.

7. A genetic factor plays a certain role in the development of an ingrown nail. We inherit not the disease itself, but a predisposition to it: the peculiar anatomical features of the structure of the foot, fingers, nails. Combined with other factors, the likelihood of an ingrown toenail increases.

Ingrown nail: preventive measures

An ingrown toenail can cause a lot of suffering! If you start to feel pain in the big toe when walking and you see that the nail cuts into the flesh near the nail, in no case do not start until the inflammation has joined.

The best preventive measures will be evening foot baths, various pharmacy ointments with a softening and antibacterial effect, as well as proper cutting of the nails.

Do foot baths every night. The water temperature is 38-40 degrees. Rub on a coarse grater of laundry or tar soap and steam the feet for 15 to 30 minutes.

Then rinse and wipe dry. Now proceed to manipulate the release of the nail from the surrounding tissue.

Steaming makes the nail and skin soft and pliable. If the nail isn't digging too hard into the flesh, gently pull it back to highlight the edge of the nail. Use a sharp toothpick or the end of a nail file to push a small piece of cotton wool over the edge of the ingrown nail. Pre-moisten a cotton swab with hydrogen peroxide to disinfect the finger. Thus, the pressure will decrease and the pain will stop by morning.

Since the swelling of the soft tissues is still holding, the threat of inflammation still exists, so thickly lubricate the terminal phalanx of the thumb with Vishnevsky ointment or Levomikol, apply a gauze bandage, secure with a bandage and put on a cotton sock overnight.

If the process hasn't gone too far, these measures, carried out over a few days, will be enough to get things going. You will have to wear comfortable shoes, properly cut the growing nails and the problem of the ingrown toenail will be solved.

Folk remedies for the treatment of ingrown toenails

If you are too lazy and do not get rid of this trouble in time, the process can take a protracted nature, the skin on the thumb will become rough, inflamed, the nail plate is uneven, thickened, grayish-dull. Pus accumulates under the skin. Bursting outward, a painful, bleeding wound forms.

It will take a long time and seriously to deal with such a leg. But still, it's still fixable at home. My neighbor Katya and I have read a lot of interesting and useful recipes on the Internet. Now I will share with you the most relevant ones.

The goal of home measures is to prevent and treat inflammation, soften the nail plate and skin, treat and disinfect the affected area, systematically cut the growing nail and correct its growth.

What are the outcomes of home treatment? In most cases, if the procedures are followed systematically, a complete cure can be achieved in a few months.

A bad outcome is going to the doctor for surgical help. The reason for this turn of events may be the severity of inflammation, a soft roller that has grown near the nail, when the sharp edge of the nail is deeply embedded in the pulp, constantly injuring it.

Recipe 1.
Prepare a hot foot bath. To do this, take a handful of sea salt or soda for 5 liters of hot water and dissolve. Keep the legs in water for about 15 minutes. You can add a furacillin tablet or a few crystals of potassium permanganate to the water for disinfection.

Wipe your feet. Treat the painful area with a cotton swab soaked in hydrogen peroxide. Then relieve the pressure of the sharp edge of the nail against the soft roller by creating a soft gauze pad behind the sharp edge of the nail and soft tissue.

Armed with our 11 methods of how to treat an ingrown toenail, the problem will no longer cause you discomfort. On the first day, as soon as the nail has grown, start treatment. Better yet, remember about the prevention of the disease, because the methods of preventing the disease are much easier than treating an ingrown toenail.

Traditional medicine uses two methods to treat an ingrown toenail: surgery or the use of a special medical plate. But traditional healers have come up with a lot of methods on how to get rid of an ingrown toenail quickly and reliably, using the gifts of nature. If you have an ingrown toenail, you don't have to panic and go to the hospital. We recommend treating an ingrown toenail with traditional methods.

What to do if a nail has grown

Ingrown nail treatment is carried out with a set of measures. But in reality, everything is simple. Only 3 points will indicate how to get rid of an ingrown toenail for a long time:

    Wash your feet every day, at least 2 times. Use a good soap for this. It is best to use 72% laundry soap. A solution of laundry soap will help not only perfectly clean your feet from dirt, but also relieve pain in your legs.

    Stop wearing uncomfortable shoes. If you feel uncomfortable in your thumb, change your shoes. A high heel also encourages a nail to grow into the toe.

    Treating an ingrown toenail with home methods. To date, a lot of ways have been invented on how to treat an ingrown toenail. You can try homemade ointments, solutions, infusions, or even butter.

Let's talk in more detail about the most effective ways to get rid of an ingrown toenail.

We treat ingrown nails with traditional medicine

1. Treatment of an ingrown toenail with aloe, onion and oil ointment

First, we will tell you about the most powerful method on how to treat an ingrown toenail. This is a surprisingly effective homemade ointment, with which the treatment of an ingrown toenail will take no more than 3 days. To prepare it you will need:

  • aloe juice - 1 tablespoon;
  • grated onion - 1 tablespoon;
  • melted butter - 1 tablespoon;
  • melted wax from a candle - 1 tsp;
  • cabbage leaf - 1 pc.

This is a powerful mixture that will once and for all answer the question of how to get rid of an ingrown toenail.

A method of preparing a medicine that helps even if the nail has already grown into the skin quite deeply:

1. Mix all ingredients well and put on low heat. It is best to warm up the medicine in a water bath. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula.

2. When the ointment is warmed up, pour the melted wax from the candle into it. Continue stirring. When the mixture is more homogeneous, it must be removed from the heat, and wait until it cools down.

3. Meanwhile, lightly steam the cabbage leaf in boiling water.

1. Take a bath, or just steam your leg.

2. Apply the ointment to your nail.

3. Wrap the cabbage leaf around your finger.

4. Wrap the leg with gauze or a thin cloth.

5. Put on a sock and go to bed.

6. Unwind your finger in the morning, and cut off the nail lightly.

7. Reapply the medication and wrap around it.

After 2-3 days, you will forget about the discomfort that a nail has grown into your finger.

2. How to treat an ingrown nail with baking soda

Now we will tell you how to get rid of an ingrown toenail with a baking soda solution. To prepare it, pour one and a half tablespoons of baking soda in 3 liters of boiling water. Leave it to cool for a couple of minutes.

Ingrown toenails are treated with a nail liner. Steam your finger in the liquid for 30 minutes. After the procedure, in the place where the nail has grown into the skin, pry it off with a toothpick. Place a small cotton ball under the corner of the nail plate.

Wrap the finger, into which the nail has grown, with a plaster, and calmly go to bed. This is a really easy way to get rid of an ingrown toenail.

3. If the ingrown toenail is inflamed, try saline solution

When inflammation has formed, this is a sure sign that an ingrown nail should be treated urgently. The good old will help you with this. saline solution... Dissolve in 1 liter of hot water 2 tbsp. l. salt. Steam your leg in this solution for no more than 30 minutes.

The saline solution will treat the inflammation, but unfortunately, this is not the best way to treat an ingrown toenail. So after removing the inflammation, you need to look for an effective way to get rid of an ingrown toenail.

4. How to get rid of an ingrown toenail with butter

Many people are surprised not to understand how to treat an ingrown toenail with oil. If the nail has already grown deep into the skin, butter will help you.... Steam the leg thoroughly in the cooled boiling water. Lift the corner of your nail and place a small piece of frozen butter underneath. Wrap a piece of plastic bag around your finger and put a cloth bandage on top.

The next day, you need to steam the nail in the same way, but place a small cotton ball soaked in melted butter under its corner. Continue with your daily routine until the problem is gone. Trim the ingrown corner carefully if possible.

5. How to cure an ingrown toenail with Kombucha

Leave the mushroom to infuse to form vinegar. Ingrown toenails are treated with a piece of infused mushroom. Cut off a small piece of the medicine and place it on your nail. Cover with a piece of plastic and secure everything with a cloth bandage.

This is a great way to get rid of an ingrown toenail by softening the nail itself. This will make it much easier to trim the cut-in corner of the nail.

6. Nail treatment with sea buckthorn oil

The following recipe will tell you not only how to treat an ingrown toenail, but also how to eliminate inflammation, manifested by swelling and redness. If a nail has grown too deep into the cannon of your finger, first take a bath with potassium permanganate. Then drip sea buckthorn oil onto the affected finger. Wrap a plantain leaf, slightly kneading it. Secure the bandage with a bandage.

And so that the treatment of an ingrown toenail is definitely not in vain, put a sock on your leg. By the morning, the nail will soften. Pry it off, and place a cotton ball under the nail plate, which must be soaked in sea buckthorn pharmacy oil. In addition, the healing properties of sea buckthorn are much broader than you imagined.

7. If the nail has grown into a finger, calendula, chamomile and iodine will save you

The next way to treat an ingrown toenail is taking a bath with a powerful healing infusion. Stir 50 g of marigolds of medicinal plants, and pour 1 liter of boiling water. Leave the product to brew for 2 hours. Straining the liquid, pour another 1 liter of hot water into it. After a few minutes, the bath will cool down, and we begin the treatment of the ingrown toenail.

After steaming your leg, place a cotton ball soaked in iodine under the edge of the nail. Let's tell you a secret, this is not the most painless way to get rid of an ingrown toenail, because iodine causes burning pain in the wound. Although the place where the nail has grown will burn for only a few minutes, and the intensity of the pain is quite acceptable. The same solution can be reused by warming it up to a hot state.

8. Ingrown toenail: treatment with aloe leaves

An ingrown toenail is treated with a mature aloe plant. It must be over 2 years old. If the plant has not been watered for two days, its cut leaf is ideal to loosen the skin into which the nail has grown. Cut off one leaf of the plant, wash, and place in the freezer for 60 minutes. After the allotted time, the medicine must be ground in a meat grinder.

The resulting gruel is applied to the sore finger. Then it is wrapped in polyethylene and a cloth bandage. It will be much easier to manipulate the nail in the morning than before the procedure. In reviews and recommendations on how to get rid of an ingrown toenail, you can often find an effective method that eliminates the problem in a day. But you may need a little more time.

9. A bath with salt and soda, if a toenail grows

Speaking of a product such as baking soda, the benefits of its use are greatly underestimated by people. Ingrown toenail treatment is one of the healing properties of baking soda. A bath of soda and salt dissolved in water will make the nail plate soft. After cutting off the ingrown corner, you just need to fill the wound with iodine or another disinfectant. It is a cheap and effective way to treat an ingrown toenail.

10. Ingrown toenail: home treatment with tea tree oil

This is another one of the most effective ways to get rid of an ingrown toenail. Soak your feet with this solution for 30 minutes. Then mix a couple of drops of tea tree oil with 3 g of honey (a quarter teaspoon). Spread the mixture on the affected finger.

11. An ingrown toenail is treated with badger fat

Ingrown toenails can also be treated with badger fat. The way to treat an ingrown toenail with badger fat is no different from the rest. Spread the finger into which the nail has grown. Grease, wrap, go to bed.

How to 100% eliminate an ingrown toenail

Just as important as knowing how to treat an ingrown toenail is knowing how to prevent it. After all, prevention is in any case better than cure. Well, so that you do not have to look for ways to get rid of an ingrown toenail, you need:

    Wear exceptionally comfortable shoes.

    Cut your nails neatly, not too short.

    Cut your nails after showering or bathing when they are softer.

    The upper edge of the nail plate must be cut evenly.

    Do not round off the plate at the corners.

Of course, if the problem has taken on a large scale, be sure to contact a medical facility in order to carry out a full treatment of an ingrown toenail.

Armed with our 11 methods of how to treat an ingrown toenail, the problem will no longer cause you discomfort. On the first day, as soon as the nail has grown, start treatment. Better yet, remember about the prevention of the disease, because the methods of preventing the disease are much easier than treating an ingrown toenail. Take care of yourself and be healthy! Published.

If you have any questions, ask them

P.S. And remember, just by changing our consumption - together we are changing the world! © econet

Ingrowth of the nail into the area of ​​the nail fold mainly from the side and on the thumb is called onychocryptosis in traditional medicine. A common problem at any age, it causes a lot of discomfort and pain, damaging the soft tissues of the finger, causing inflammation and suppuration.

The inability to properly cut the nail plate, wearing tight shoes and, as a result, an ingrown nail with a focus of pathological granulation, often pose a danger to the patient's health. The causes of ingrowth can also be: fungal infection, trauma, flat feet and other orthopedic disorders. The fungus deforms, thickens the nail plate, which facilitates its penetration into the soft tissue. Experts recommend avoiding socks and tights that are too tight and impervious to air. Adequate breathing and blood supply to the toes helps the nails grow in the correct position.

An ingrown toenail has its own risk group, to which doctors refer:

  • persons suffering from diabetes, atherosclerosis, varicose veins;
  • elderly patients due to age-related deterioration of blood circulation in the limbs;
  • pregnant women in whom the load on the legs increases with an increase in the fetus.

Why does the nail grow in?

There are quite a few factors influencing the penetration of the nail plate into the surrounding tissue. According to statistics, the main reason is incorrect, inaccurate cutting of the nail. When manicure / pedicure, you should not expose the nail holes, give the nail plate an oval or wedge-shaped shape. Cut off the nail in a straight line, and round off the sharp edges with a file. Correctly trim the nail plate no deeper than the top of the pad.

An ingrown toenail problem occurs as a result of:

  • wearing tight, out-of-size shoes (especially for lovers of high heels);
  • longitudinal / transverse flat feet and a characteristic external deformity of the big toe on the foot;
  • trauma, frostbite;
  • hereditary predisposition;
  • weight gain (for example, when carrying a child);
  • lesions of a fungal infection.

Why does a nail grow in pregnant women? In addition to the increasing load on the feet, women in later stages cannot cut their nails on their own, and their husbands are often ignorant of these wisdom.

Ingrown toenail symptoms

The main complaint of patients with an ingrown toenail is constant pain, concentrated in the area of ​​the nail fold, which increases with wearing shoes and moving.

The disease begins with a small ulcer at the site of permanent nail trauma to soft tissues. The infection quickly joins the process, purulent secretion begins to ooze from the wound. The body's response will be an increased proliferation of tissue in the area of ​​the wound surface - pathological granulation, resembling raw meat in color (hence the name "wild meat"). From this point on, the disease is chronic, when walking becomes difficult.

Ingrown toenail

Such a trifle as an ingrown toenail gives rise to a lot of problems, inconveniences, and sometimes even does not allow to lead the usual way of life. As it turns out, many people suffer from this disease.

Home therapy in the form of lotions, ointments, baths, etc. it is effective only at the beginning of the pathological process, when an abundant accumulation of pus and tissue growth outward are not observed. Severe cases, especially if the ingrown nail is the result of mechanical or any other damage, require the help of a qualified specialist.

Based on the feedback from the patients themselves, folk and conservative treatments do not bring the expected result. Oddly enough, but the surgical removal of the nail has many opponents. Firstly, the operation itself, in spite of local anesthesia, is rather unpleasant due to the large blood loss and pain during the healing of the wound surface. Secondly, a toe without a nail plate loses its aesthetic appearance and causes discomfort when wearing shoes. Thirdly, surgery without nail correction gives a high percentage of relapses.

According to patients, the most acceptable way to treat an ingrown nail of the lower extremities is laser correction. The therapy is considered as gentle as possible, characterized by a minimum rehabilitation period, and helps to align the direction of nail growth.

If you have discovered the first signs of alarming symptoms, namely: pain when walking and wearing shoes, slight swelling on the side of your toe, do not postpone the problem with the words “it will resolve itself”, but go to a specialist for advice. This will allow you not only to save money, but also reduce the complexity of the treatment.

Ingrown toenail

Ingrowth of the nail plate on the fingers is a rather rare pathology. Symptoms of the disease include swelling, redness, pain in the area of ​​the nail fold. A similar phenomenon can be provoked:

  • damage or injury;
  • improper nail trimming;
  • insufficient blood supply to the area of ​​the nail bed;
  • excess calcium;
  • individual features of the structure of the nail plate (thick, curved shape, etc.);
  • mycosis;
  • hereditary predisposition;
  • non-compliance with personal hygiene standards.

The development of a small ulcer will be the body's response to a foreign body - an ingrown fingernail. The onset of inflammation develops into tissue granulation, which interferes with daily work with a strong pain syndrome.

If you cannot cope with the problem on your own or the process takes on a difficult course, it is better to visit a competent surgeon. The doctor will examine the hand, prescribe an additional examination and prescribe the necessary treatment. The methods of laboratory diagnostics will be - a general blood test and a check for sugar levels. X-rays will be required if there is overt inflammation.

An ingrown toenail is treated with laser therapy, which has the maximum therapeutic effect with a minimum of relapses. The technique is characterized by a short recovery period.

Why does an ingrown toenail hurt?

Pain syndrome with ingrowth of the nail plate into the surrounding tissue is caused by a rupture of the integrity of the skin. You can compare this discomfort with a splinter or a shard of glass caught in your finger. The degree of pain varies from the stage of the pathological process, the nature of the course of the disease, as well as the individual characteristics of the patient. In the first stage, the pain is insignificant, similar to a pressing, bursting feeling. The accession of the infection, which is observed in the second stage, increases the pain. Patients complain of pulsation, and lameness appears when walking. The third stage is the transformation of acute inflammation into a chronic form, when the pain syndrome is especially acute, and movement is sometimes completely impossible.

If you have an ingrown toenail sore, seek medical attention immediately. The launched inflammatory process is difficult to treat, threatens with serious consequences, up to the amputation of the finger.

Ingrown toenail in a child

Cases of onychocryptosis in children are detected as a result of wearing improperly selected shoes. Buying shoes that are overly tight, crushing, and non-breathable are just as harmful for toddlers as open rubber flip flops. Factors of ingrowth of the nail plate can be injuries, bruises, congenital or acquired orthopedic disorders, infections, as well as heredity. Among the reasons that cause the introduction of the nail into the skin roll, there are: incorrect cutting of nails and failure to comply with basic hygiene rules.

An ingrown toenail in a child should be shown to a doctor immediately. As a rule, attempts at home treatment have no effect at all or bring temporary relief. Surgeons recommend surgery or laser correction.

In a baby who also cannot walk, an ingrown nail must be operated on. In this situation, the reason lies in a congenital defect and conservative methods will definitely not help here. For children under 10 years of age, the operation is performed under general anesthesia. The nail plate is removed completely only in cases of emergency. Surgical procedures are followed by a series of dressings. In order to reduce pain, relieve puffiness and inflammation, warm salt baths are used at home at least once a day. After manipulation, a cotton swab is placed between the nail and the skin roll. Local ointments are sometimes used as directed by a doctor.

Of course, it is better not to bring the matter to the operating room, so it is important to monitor the condition of the nails, check the shoes for comfort and suitability for the growing foot. Parents of teenagers need to be constantly on the alert, since shoes have to be changed often and the cutting of nails must be controlled.

An ingrown toenail at the initial stage will help to correct the master of the pedicure office with the help of modeling materials. For example, putting something on your nail is akin to braces. With such a corrective plate, you can safely wear shoes, play sports, and the result will be amazing - a properly growing nail that no longer digs into the skin.

Ingrown toenail during pregnancy

Pregnancy often accompanies swelling of the legs, and wearing tight shoes at the same time is fraught with thickening, deformation of the nail plate and ingrowth of the nail.

Factors provocateurs of the problem:

  • unskilled nail cutting, improper care;
  • tight high-heeled shoes;
  • hereditary reasons;
  • deformation, various forms of flat feet;
  • fungal disease;
  • circulatory pathology of the fingers;
  • injury.

With the intrauterine growth of the baby, it becomes more and more difficult for the expectant mother to do a pedicure, and future fathers do not always know how to correctly cut their nails. Therefore, in order not to get such a nuisance as an ingrown toenail, it is better to contact a beauty parlor.

The presence of discomfort when walking, swelling and redness near the nail plate is a reason to start a timely gentle treatment. Local or general anesthesia is not used for pregnant women, which makes surgery very painful in advanced cases. Optimally, an ingrown nail during pregnancy is treated with a laser method, which is considered the most effective and gentle. The heat ray acts for a short time, almost painlessly (however, everyone has their own pain threshold), evaporating the pathological focus on the skin, treating the nail plate from fungal lesions and removing the ingrown tip.

The consequences of an ingrown toenail

The long course of onychocryptosis is accompanied by compaction of the granulation zone, the nail plate undergoes structural changes, and its shape is distorted. The advanced stages of the disease are difficult to treat, the inflammatory process spreads to the bone. Often, the nail flakes off, and the pathology covers the entire foot.

For patients with diabetes, the consequences of an ingrown toenail, even at the initial stage, can turn into gangrene. The danger is onychocryptosis in cases of a weakened organism susceptible to infection.

Ingrown toenail inflammation

An ingrown toenail manifests itself as soreness in the corner of the finger during movement. Uncomfortable shoes aggravate the problem - redness and swelling appear. Untimely treatment can lead to suppuration, which threatens with a transition to the chronic stage. In the place of deformation, connective tissue will begin to grow and a focus of granulation will form.

Inflammation of an ingrown toenail can spread to the tissues of the toe, and then the entire foot. The most serious consequences of chronic inflammation are periostitis (damage to the periosteum) and osteomyelitis (damage to bone structures). Sometimes the process of introducing the nail plate into the skin roller provokes the addition of a fungal infection, when the nail thickens, changes shape, begins to turn yellow and crumble.

The inflammatory process of a mild form is subject to conservative therapy. The patient should wear comfortable, loose shoes, and herbal baths should be done to relieve pain. In difficult cases, treatment with antibiotics, surgical and laser methods is used.

Ingrown toenail suppuration

The appearance of pus in the area of ​​an ingrown nail is the most uncomfortable moment, indicating that onychocryptosis is neglected. An inflamed wound is most susceptible to infection. The presence of suppuration characterizes tissue necrosis. In addition to a severely swollen finger, any movement is incredible pain.

Suppuration of an ingrown toenail makes the surgeon's work extremely difficult. Especially advanced cases require cutting out the entire nail plate, which in turn increases postoperative rehabilitation. The nail grows back for a long time, as a rule, as a result, it has an irregular shape and requires special care.

The developed inflammation should not be brought to the formation of pus, it is better to immediately contact a specialist who will carry out the necessary treatment, and the healing process will be easy and short. Modern techniques will help you quickly cope with pain syndrome and correct the growth of the nail plate.

Complications of an ingrown toenail

The chronic course of the disease has a greater number of complications. The provocateurs are often diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis of the vessels of the extremities of the obliterating type, disrupting the blood supply to soft tissues. As a result, the regenerative capacity and immunity are reduced.

The following complications of an ingrown nail are distinguished:

  • lymphadenitis / lymphangitis - involvement of the lymphatic system in the infectious process with inflammation of the lymph nodes and blood vessels. Lymph nodes enlarge and hurt;
  • the development of an abscess - characterized by swelling, redness and suppuration of soft tissues. Surgical intervention is obligatory;
  • osteomyelitis is a purulent infection of bone structures. Difficult to treat and may require finger amputation. Diagnosis is by X-ray;
  • gangrene - blackening of the skin, indicating the irreversibility of soft tissue necrosis. Requires amputation of part or all of the toe.

Ingrown toenail recurrence

To date, in clinical practice, there are over one hundred modifications of the surgical treatment of onychocryptosis. Re-ingrowth of the nail plate after surgery is observed in 40% of cases. The return of the problem is due to:

  • incorrectly selected surgical tactics (for example, in the presence of a large periungual roller, an operation with roller correction is recommended, if in this case only marginal resection is performed, the recurrence of an ingrown nail is very high);
  • the unprofessionalism of a doctor who incorrectly cut the nail and did not sufficiently process the growth zone of the nail plate, etc.;
  • non-compliance by the patient with postoperative rules (inability to part with narrow shoes, improper nail cutting);
  • trauma, fungal infection.

As can be seen from the above, an ingrown nail occurs through the fault of both the doctor and the patient. It is very important not only to find a competent surgeon, but also to follow all his recommendations during the rehabilitation period.

Pedicure and ingrown toenail

Agree that it is impossible to give the nail the correct position for growth after a bruise, injury or correct a congenital defect on your own. For this reason, you should seek the help of professionals. Every pedicure master at least once faced the problem of an ingrown toenail. To achieve a prolonged effect, it is not enough to cut off the ingrown edge of the nail plate, therefore, the specialist must know the method of tamponing the nail from the side, and be able to install the Fraser staples.

The simplest and at the same time effective at the moment is the method of modeling by means of B / S - plates. The technology is similar to the installation of braces in dentistry. The correction plate makes the ingrown toenail lift and grow in the right direction. The technique, originally developed for thin nails, gives excellent results, adheres perfectly to the nail, is hypoallergenic, invisible, does not interfere with an active lifestyle (for example, playing sports) and does not injure soft tissues.

Applying acrylic to the surface of the nail raises the corners and prevents ingrowth. The extension procedure is carried out twice every six months. The client does not feel any discomfort, and his nails look well-groomed.

A pedicure and an ingrown toenail have become synonymous with medical hardware correction, which eliminates steaming of the feet in water. In hardware pedicure, special disinfecting creams, suspensions for rough skin, hard and ingrown nails are used. Moreover, the action of the funds applies only to the dead layers of the epithelium. The pluses of hardware pedicure include the absence of injury and infection. Medical pedicure is the only salvation for diabetic clients who have a decrease in temperature, pain and other sensitivity.

What to do if a nail grows in?

If your family has had cases of ingrown nail plate, it is likely that you will suffer the same fate. According to experts, an ingrown toenail is a problem that is often inherited.

What to do if a nail grows in? First of all, follow the basic rules to prevent this disease. Choose comfortable, breathable shoes that are tailored to fit your needs. Use individual insoles if you have orthopedic diseases of the foot. Do not neglect hygiene standards - wash your feet before going to bed, do not use other people's shoes, wear rubber slippers in public places (baths, swimming pools, etc.). Take care of timely and correct manicure and pedicure. If you can't cut your nails neatly on your own, seek professional help.

How to care for an ingrown toenail?

In order to prevent ingrowth of the nail plate into soft tissue, simple rules must be followed:

  • in public places (sauna, swimming pool, etc.), put on your shoes accordingly, do not use someone else's slippers or slippers;
  • casual shoes should be comfortable, loose, breathable;
  • do not forget the basic rules of hygiene;
  • cut the nail carefully, not deeply and in a straight line, consult a professional if necessary;
  • in case of a finger injury, consult a specialist;
  • do not delay treatment when the first alarming symptoms are found.

After undergoing treatment, be sure to ask how to care for an ingrown toenail during the rehabilitation period. You will definitely need bandages. Your doctor may prescribe an ointment, pain reliever, or antibiotics. Only by fulfilling all the prescriptions can you achieve a speedy recovery and prevent relapse.

Ingrown toenail correction

Modern correction of an ingrown toenail is carried out with a carbon dioxide laser. The latest equipment allows only the ingrown part of the nail plate to be removed with maximum precision and accuracy. The technique has several advantages:

  • safe and bloodless;
  • requires less anesthesia;
  • the laser beam does not affect healthy tissue;
  • due to the bactericidal effect, the laser provides absolute infectious sanitation;
  • the processing area is not hemmed, there is no need for special care;
  • the wound surface heals quickly;
  • effective and aesthetic.

Laser treatment is not suitable for patients with blood clotting problems, diabetes mellitus, as well as elderly people with trophic changes in the epithelium.

Correction of an ingrown toenail is provided by the use of special plates. The device works similarly to dental braces. Photopolymer glue is applied on top of the previously degreased nail plate and a hypoallergenic plate that simulates the growth of the nail is attached. Fix the device with gel. The progressive method is deservedly popular due to its convenience, efficiency and painlessness. A patient with such a plate does not experience discomfort, wears his favorite shoes and leads a normal life.

The use of correction plates is undesirable:

  • children under 6 years old;
  • patients with mycosis, psoriasis and other diseases;
  • only with the permission of the doctor is established in adolescence and diabetics.

Ingrown toenail treatment

Conservative therapy, in addition to warm baths with salt, soda and potassium permanganate, includes the use of an aqueous-alcoholic 0.5% chlorhexidine solution. The gauze is impregnated with an antiseptic and placed between the nail plate and the skin. The compress is changed as it dries, ensuring the constant presence of the composition in the wound area. Manipulation helps to reduce mechanical damage to the skin fold, reduce pain and speed up the healing process.

Previously, the ingrown nail was fixed with X-ray film, which reduced the risk of mechanical injury and helped to align the nail plate. Currently, special brackets, springs have been invented that perform the same role. Miniature devices are invisible, do not interfere with wearing shoes, reduce pressure on the nail plate and gradually correct its shape.

The presence of a focus of granulation with suppuration indicates a complex course of the disease and requires surgical treatment. The operation is performed with local anesthesia with novocaine (0.5-1%) or lidocaine (2%). The doctor should inquire about your possible allergy to these medications.

Treatment of an ingrown nail with surgery is carried out in several ways:

  • partially or completely remove the nail plate - it will take about three months to restore a full-fledged nail, while the bare nail bed will be as sensitive as possible and subject to the slightest mechanical stress;
  • plastic nail roller - carried out with the aim of re-ingrowth of the nail. The skin is excised from the side of the finger, and the wound is sutured with interrupted sutures. The skin roll is no longer in contact with the nail;
  • laser treatment is a less traumatic way to correct the nail plate. Allows to remove granulation, infection and fungal spores.

Ingrown toenail doctor

A specialist in foot diseases with knowledge of orthopedics, manicure and pedicure techniques is called a podiatrist. In addition to congenital or acquired deformities of the foot, the field of activity of this doctor is all diseases that provoke problems on the foot, including an ingrown toenail. The main goal of a podiatrist is to identify problems at an early stage in order to avoid surgery. A podologist can be called an intermediary between a patient and a narrowly focused specialist - a surgeon, dermatologist, orthopedist, endocrinologist, etc. Despite the knowledge in the field of traumatology, surgery, hygiene, etc., a podiatrist specialist deals with any one pathology - post-traumatic massage, treatment of diabetic feet or an ingrown nail plate.

The doctor on ingrown nails does not give a diagnostic conclusion, but, suspecting a fungal infection, signs of diabetes or the need for surgery, directs the patient to the necessary specialist.

If the characteristic symptoms of an ingrown nail are found, a surgeon's appointment is necessary. To assess the stage of the pathological process, it is enough: visual examination, blood donation (including sugar). If complications are suspected (transition of the infection to the bones), the doctor will recommend an X-ray examination. Since any disease can be eliminated only by identifying the root cause, fungal infection of the nail plate should be excluded. For this purpose, you will be referred for a consultation with a dermatologist. An endocrinologist will help to differentiate diabetes mellitus.

So, the podiatrist is engaged in recognizing the problem in the process of its inception, assisting in the treatment of the foot, treating an ingrown toenail at the initial stage without surgical intervention, and also gives advice on personal hygiene and nail care.

Where is ingrown toenail treated?

A patient with a diagnosis of an ingrown toenail without accompanying complications is assisted in a polyclinic (outpatient clinic). The absence of granulation and suppuration will be an indication for conservative treatment, which can also act as a preparatory stage before surgery.

Where is an ingrown toenail treated in an advanced form of the disease? The accumulation of pus, the presence of a bleeding wound surface of the skin, throbbing pain - all this requires a visit to the first-aid post or surgery. If even the thought of a scalpel frightens you, then you can use the service of a laser room, where the overgrown layer of the epithelium is burned out with a heat beam. Traditional surgery, like laser correction, has a long rehabilitation period of up to 3 months, during which the skin is restored and a new nail grows.

Ingrown nail treatment methods

A slightly ingrown toenail can be treated on its own by resorting to warm salt baths and traditional medicine recipes. In the case of slight suppuration, it is advisable to use ointment "Vishnevsky", "Ichthyol" or a fresh leaf of aloe, which draws out pus and prevent the spread of infection. The ointment is evenly distributed on a bandage folded in several layers, which is applied to the affected area of ​​the skin, insulated on top with an oilcloth and fixed with a bandage. In the case of aloe, the leaf is cut in half and the pulp is applied to the tumor, after cutting off the thorns. This therapy is best done for the coming sleep. In the morning, try cutting the nail plate yourself and reapply the ointment. In case of increased pain syndrome, active accumulation or outflow of pus from the wound, it is necessary to seek medical help.

The modern beauty parlor has effective means of combating ingrown nails. The physiological and aesthetic defect can be corrected by a master who has completed the Stop-N-Grow technology course. The technique, which came from the USA, consists in mechanical separation of the nail plate from the soft tissues using a special plastic tool (crust). The device serves as a guide for the correct growth of the nail and after six months of wearing, the client will forever forget about the problem called an ingrown nail, as well as the accompanying problems - pain and chromate. This technique is only applicable to big toes in adult clients. For cases of ingrowth of the nail plate on the hand or in children, a modeling program has been developed based on the use of artificial materials. The nail is corrected by changing the force of its tension, which facilitates the exit of the nail plate from the roller.

Ingrown nail treatment methods are divided into:

  • conservative - baths, lotions, plates;
  • surgical - partial or complete removal of the nail, opening and curettage of the tumor area;
  • laser correction - exposure to high temperatures allows the ingrown nail to evaporate with the simultaneous elimination of the granulation and infection zone;
  • radio wave therapy - a gentle procedure performed under local anesthesia. After cutting the skin, the growth zone of the nail plate is treated for 6 seconds;
  • folk remedies are relevant, like conservative treatment, in the initial stages of the disease.

Ingrown nail baths

At the initial stage of the disease, when the nail has grown slightly and no pus is detected, you can place the limb in warm water with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or baking soda. The procedure to reduce inflammation should be repeated three times a day for 15 minutes. Try to gently cut off the ingrown tip, then continue bathing until you are completely healed. A saline solution will help soften the skin with the nail plate, in which the limb is immersed at least twice a day.

Chamomile baths for an ingrown nail are advisable until the process becomes chronic. To prepare the broth, you need 2 liters of boiling water, 6 tablespoons. dry mixture of chamomile and a saucepan with a tight lid, in which the infusion is kept for about an hour. The strained broth is heated and a leg is dipped into it for half an hour. After the procedure, you should try to remove the ingrown nail, treat the wound with an antiseptic.

Ingrown nail clippers

Ingrown nail nippers have a distinctive feature - they have an elongated, thin cutting surface. Such a tool allows you to deeply penetrate under the nail plate and almost painlessly remove the ingrown corner.

When choosing nippers, the material from which they are made plays an important role. Preference should be given to stainless steel, specially processed under vacuum conditions, which leads to increased strength and hardness of the tool.

As for the method of sharpening, the best option would be the manufacturer's diamond abrasive wheel. Cutting edges processed on both sides will not require sharpening for several years of use and will perfectly cope with both thick nails and thin skin. It is a pleasure to trim the cuticle with such a tool, since they do not provoke the appearance of a burr.

Ingrown toenail removal

If the ingrowth of the nail plate is accompanied by suppuration, severe pain syndrome and other complications, then surgical treatment is prescribed with partial or complete resection of the nail. In modern clinical practice, complete removal of the nail plate is prescribed in extremely advanced cases.

An ingrown toenail is a type of change in which the outer or inner edge of the nail plate on one toe begins to grow into a portion of the nail fold. An ingrown toenail, occurs quite often, can occur at any age, manifesting itself in both children and adults.

general description

An ingrown nail also has its own medical term - onychocryptosis or nail incarnation. Basically, with an ingrown toenail, the outer side of the nail bed on the big toe is affected. The affected nail fold in this pathological process becomes edematous and red, inflammation becomes a factor accompanying these changes, against the background of which, in turn, severe pain develops. Subsequently, the inflammatory process can become chronic. The lack of the necessary treatment leads to the possibility of a recurrence of the process.

The nail ingrowth problem occurs due to excessive pressure on the soft tissue surrounding the nail plate. Such pressure can be caused, for example, genetically, with an abnormal shape of the nail on this soil, as well as in the presence of a predisposition to pathological ingrowth due to the influence of the same cause.

Changes in the shape of the nail during its subsequent ingrowth can be facilitated by improper cutting of the nails when cutting the corners. Also, as the reader might suggest from the description of the underlying cause of ingrown toenail (compression), it can develop from wearing overly tight shoes. In this case, it contributes to the compression of the nail from the sides and from above, due to which the growth of the nail is directed into the depth of the periungual ridges, which causes subsequent ingrowth. It is for this reason that the problem of an ingrown toenail is often relevant for adolescents and young people who follow fashion, which is why they wear beautiful, but not always comfortable shoes. This is especially true for shoes that are too narrow and with “pointed toes”.

Fungal lesions are also considered among the reasons contributing to the development of the considered pathological nail growth, in particular, we are talking about the defeat of the nail plate and its concomitant thickening, which causes such growth. Similarly, the problem under consideration can be caused by injury to the nail plate, as well as foot disorders that develop against the background of clubfoot and flat feet.

Ingrown toenail: symptoms

The main symptom of an ingrown toenail is constant soreness, noted from the side of the nail fold, its intensification occurs when wearing shoes, with pressure and when walking. A visual examination allows at the initial stage of the manifestation of the disease to detect an ulcer - it is small in size and is located in the place where the nail roller is most susceptible to injury.

Subsequently, there is a rapid growth of granulations, that is, an excessive proliferation of tissues occurring from the side of the wound surface of the nail fold. This proliferation is a response to the impact of infection and the processes accompanying the resulting injury. The growth of granulations resembles raw meat, which is why it is customary to define them as the appropriate term - "wild meat". It is with the appearance of wild meat, which can also be accompanied by the appearance of purulent discharge, that we can say that the pathological process has turned into a chronic form of its own course. Simultaneously with this, another type of complaint arises, they relate to a significant difficulty in walking.

Returning to the features that are relevant to such a phenomenon as an ingrown toenail, we note that it is a delusion to believe that only the big toe is affected. This is not the case, an ingrown nail can form on any of the fingers, moreover, the ingrowth can even be two-sided. The initial stage of the development of the disease is not accompanied by the appearance of fluid or purulent discharge; heat when touching the finger is also not felt at this stage. Later, from the side of an acute angle, skin and additional tissue begin to grow, and, in fact, a yellowish liquid is released, such a course of the process indicates the formation of a reaction of the body in response to irritating skin injury to the nail. If an infection joins the pathological process, then the puffiness manifests itself in a more pronounced form, this is also accompanied by the release of fluid (white or yellowish), the volumes of such secretions increase. The skin surrounded by redness can become pale, the picture of the course of the pathological process can be supplemented by heat.

Thus, even such a seemingly harmless disease as an ingrown toenail, the symptoms of which at the initial stages may not cause much concern, requires a visit to a doctor. In particular, this is necessary when an infection is associated with accompanying fat, the appearance of fluid, pallor of the skin in the area surrounding redness, increased soreness or swelling.

Diagnosis

Based on the changes that the patient can determine independently, one can understand that it is a specific problem that is relevant - that is, the problem of an ingrown toenail. When contacting a doctor (which, as practice shows, is often done already at the stage of chronicity of the pathological process or at the stage of complications), special diagnostic methods are not used. In particular, you will need to donate blood (general analysis), on the basis of which it will be possible to assess the degree of the actual inflammatory process, in addition, this analysis will allow, based on the sugar level, to determine whether the patient has developed diabetes mellitus.

If the process in its own progression has reached the stage of development of complications, then radiography for the area of ​​the foot bones may be prescribed. This measure is necessary, again, for a more detailed study of the features of the course of the disease, because the possibility of a transition to the bone of a purulent process is not excluded.

If there is a suspicion of the presence of a purulent infection, then treatment in a slightly different direction (dermatology) may be required. It is important to understand that if the cause that triggered the development of the disease is not eliminated, then the consequences, one of which is considered an ingrown nail, is pointless to try to eliminate.

Treatment

If the patient does not develop complications of the ingrown nail, then the treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis. The initial stages of the pathological process, with unexpressed infection and granulation, require conservative treatment. For other cases, with a more progressive form of the process, conservative treatment of an ingrown nail can act as a preparatory stage of treatment, that is, as a therapy preceding further surgery. Also, in any of the cases, it is important to ensure that any type of impact on the nail plate is limited, which is ensured by wearing appropriate shoes (the ideal solution is walking barefoot, if possible). Additionally, you should exclude cutting the nail on the affected finger to such short boundaries, due to which its ingrowth is usually caused.

Ingrown toenail: principles of conservative treatment

The initial stages determine the possibility of effective impact on the ingrown nail and the area affected by it. In this case, one of the main directions of influence is the method of warm baths, due to which a direct effect on the feet is provided. In such baths, certain types of antiseptics are added, for example, decoctions of herbs (St. John's wort, chamomile), furacilin, potassium permanganate, etc. If the area in which the nail grows in begins to fester, then after taking the baths, dressings with the addition of antibacterial ointments are imperatively applied. If the treatment of fungal lesions is carried out, then a special type of drugs are used, designed specifically for this purpose; Nizoral, Kanizon, Lamisil, etc., can be distinguished as the main options.

Some time ago, in the action on the affected area, an X-ray film in the form of strips was used, laid between the area of ​​the skin fold and the nail. With its help, the very factor of mechanical impact, causing injury, was eliminated, and the extension of the nail plate, which had undergone deformation, was gradually provided. Today, a number of different devices are used, due to which a similar effect is provided. These are various staples, plates, springs, etc. Due to their compact size, any negative impact is excluded, for example, accompanying the wearing of shoes. Due to the elevation of the edge of the nail, provided by them, it is possible to reduce the pressure exerted by them on the area of ​​the nail fold, which occurs while simultaneously correcting the shape of the nail and reducing pain. In particular, a Fraser bracket, ZTO, B / S-plates or half-brackets can be used.

Even if conservative therapy did not provide the desired effect, and also if the pathological granulations discussed above appear with the accompanying appearance of purulent discharge, an operative action to eliminate the problem of an ingrown nail is considered as a necessity.

Ingrown toenail: surgery (surgical treatment)

Basically, surgery occurs on an outpatient basis, local anesthesia. There are a number of directions that can be used to solve the problem under consideration by means of surgical intervention, this is surgical excision, and the radio wave method, and the method of exposure with the help of a laser. Quite often, a separate part of the nail is removed; this is a resection method. Meanwhile, partial removal does not lead to subsequent getting rid of the problem - in the overwhelming majority of cases, re-ingrowth of the nail occurs. For this reason, with a part of the nail plate, the corresponding part of the growth area of ​​the nail is also removed. Due to this, the newly growing nail is narrower than the earlier growing nail.

If the nail has undergone significant changes against the background of the pathological process, as well as with fungal infection (again, in severe form), the removal of the nail plate in full can be prescribed. Even more severe cases with repeated ingrowth of the nail require not only the removal of the nail plate itself, but also the entire area from which the nail grows. The defect that appeared against the background of such an intervention is hidden due to autodermoplasty with the replacement of the area with a skin flap. The nail on that toe will no longer grow at all.

Ingrown toenail complications

In order to understand how serious the problem we are considering can acquire, it is necessary to note the complications of an ingrown nail that develop against the background of negligence in the treatment of this pathology. Most often, they develop already during the chronicity of the process, in particular, the development of complications is facilitated by such factors that are relevant for the patient as atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities, as well as diabetes mellitus.

The listed diseases lead to the fact that the blood supply to the finger, or rather, its soft tissues, is disturbed, due to which the ability for their subsequent regeneration is reduced, as well as resistance to the effects of infections. Thus, the following pathological conditions can be distinguished, corresponding to the complicated course of an ingrown nail:

  • Lymphadenitis, lymphangitis. The spread of infection is carried out through the lymphatic vessels, due to which their inflammation develops, which is defined as lymphangitis. This inflammation spreads to the lymph nodes located in the immediate vicinity, and these are the inguinal and popliteal lymph nodes. Here, the inflammation remains, leading to their increase, as well as to the appearance of pain syndrome, which already corresponds to such a pathological condition as lymphadenitis.
  • Osteomyelitis of the nail phalanx. This pathological condition consists in the transition to the bone of a purulent infection. It is quite difficult to cure it, moreover, amputation of the phalanx of the finger can be considered as an outcome for such treatment. Diagnosis of pathology is carried out on the basis of an X-ray examination in the area of ​​the bones of the affected finger.
  • Abscess. In this case, the toe of the foot is affected, this pathological condition lies in the development of purulent inflammation in the area of ​​the soft finger tissues. At the heart of the accompanying manifestations, redness and swelling of the skin along the entire phalanx is considered. In this case, the need for surgical intervention is considered as the main treatment.
  • Finger gangrene. In this case, the toe undergoes irreversible tissue necrosis, that is, their necrosis develops, accompanied by a characteristic blackening of the skin. As the only treatment option for the development of gangrene of the toe, either amputation of the area of ​​the nail phalanx or complete amputation of the toe is considered.

If you develop symptoms that indicate an ingrown toenail, you should consult a doctor for a long time or see a surgeon.

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